Shifted
by xShadowintheDarkx
Summary: KotoUmi centric. Rating may change to M depending on how I feel about it later on.
1. Chapter 1

There is nothing like the feeling of soaring through the skies, swimming alongside a pod of dolphins, and running freely in the woods. Some may experience these sensations, but not in the way Umi does. Umi could soar in the sky as a bird, be a part of the pod of dolphins, dash across the forest in a pack of wolves. She could experience life in ways no one else could. She is a shapeshifter, a being who could transform into any animal imaginary.

* * *

It was a regular night for Umi. The dark sky was speckled with bright, shining stars. The moon was full and bright, lighting up the forest beneath it, not that Umi needed it anyway. The layer of leaves and twigs concealing the forest floor crunched under Umi's paws as she sprinted through trees and leaped over fallen logs. The feel of the cold night air, along with the wind from running, felt refreshing against her dark, midnight blue fur. She slowed as she came upon a grassy clearing. She trotted over to a cluster of boulders located in the middle of the field. Umi jumped from one of the rocks to another until she found her way on the tallest stone, about ten feet off the ground. She took a more sturdy stance before raising her muzzle to the sky. A low, melodic howl was let out when she opened her mouth. The howl lasted a good ten seconds. The howl died down as she lowered her head. She lifted her head once again to let out one last howl for the night, but was interrupted by a faint click coming from inside the forest. Her reaction time was quick, but not quick enough. The bullet from the gun pierced her shoulder. The impact from the shot knocked her off the boulder and onto the ground ten feet below. She hit the ground on her side. Upon impact, she let out a high pitched whine of pain. She knew things would end up worse if she didn't move. Her legs wobbled as she put pressure on them, but she ignored whatever pain she was currently experiencing. Blood was gushing steadily out of the bullet hole. If she didn't hurry, the hunter would get to her and finish her off. Umi ran. She didn't stop. Running through the trees was a struggle, for her vision was slowly distorting. She knew she was leaving a trail of blood as it dripped off her shoulder and onto the forest floor below. She could feel her fur get matted with blood, dirt, and leaves as she stumbled through the forest. Umi kept her eyes on the distance, until she spotted bright lights shining through the trees, probably belonging to a house. Wanting a possibility for survival, she took her chances and headed towards them.

 _Help me. Please. Help._ Umi thought. She came to end of the forest, ending up in someone's backyard. She slowed down. She began to lose consciousness because of the amount of blood she lost.

 _Is this the end? Am I going to go out to some random hunter?_ Umi's vision began to darken. Her eyes drooped shut. She saw a dark figure run towards her from the house before her body completely gave out.

* * *

 _Help me. Please. Help._

Kotori looked around her dining room. She could've sworn someone just called for help. She stood up from her dining table, where she had been doing homework. She walked over to her sliding glass doors to her backyard. She slid the door open and stepped outside onto the stone patio. She grabbed her arms and began to rub them because of the chilly weather. Kotori stepped to the edge of her patio and looked around for the person who called for help. Her eyes landed on glowing amber ones that emerged from the line of trees from the forest. As the owner of the eyes stepped farther out of the forest and into her backyard, she could see that it was a gorgeous wolf, but something was wrong with it; it was injured.

 _Is this the end? Am I going to go out by some random hunter?_

Kotori was shocked. She had questions, but what she did know was that she could hear that wolf's thoughts and that it was seriously injured. Out of everything though, saving the poor creature took priority. Not thinking of any consequences, Kotori sprinted over to the wolf as it fell over on it's side, unconscious. She grabbed the wolf by its sides and dragged it across her lawn, patio, and into her house. She immediately noticed the frequent drops of blood trailing into her house. Under the light of her house, she examined the wolf's body, searching for the injury. In seconds, she found the gruesome bullet hole in the wolf's shoulder. She knew what she had to do to fix this. She ran upstairs to her room and grabbed a pair of tweezers, then ran to the bathroom next to her room. She grabbed a small towel and a roll of bandages from the medicine cabinet. She ran back downstairs to the back door where she left the wolf. Instead of there being a wolf, a girl, maybe about the age of herself, was laying on the floor. It was unmistakably the same creature. The bullet hole was in the same place, the hair color was the same, and her hair was matted with dirt, sticks, and leaves, just like the wolf's fur. She even had the same musky, woodsy smell to her. A small pool of blood started to form around the girl, she couldn't waste anymore time, no matter how confused she was. She ran over to the girl lying on the floor. She grabbed her small towel and wiped the area around the wound, cleaning it up a bit. Next, she had to remove the bullet. She grabbed her tweezers and the shoulder of the girl. She placed her tweezers in the bullet hole and felt around until she felt the tweezers tap the bullet. She cringed as she opened the tweezers around the bullet end, having to push against the flesh inside the wound. Once she grabbed a hold of it, she slowly, carefully pulled it out. Luckily, the long sniper bullet was still in tact. She threw the bullet behind her, letting the metal clink against the tile floor multiple times. After wiping the wound once more, she grabbed the bandages and wrapped them tightly, but comfortably, around the wound. Kotori straightened out the girl's head, opening her mouth slightly. She swept her ash-brown hair to the side and moved her ear close to the girl's mouth to see if she was still breathing. A sigh of relief left Kotori's mouth as she heard the air leave the girl's mouth. She sat back up and examined the mess around her. The girl was still dirty, the floor had blood smeared everywhere, and Kotori herself had blood on her hands and nightgown. After washing her own hands, Kotori started with cleaning the girl. She combed out everything from her hair long, dark blue hair with a spare comb. She stood up and walked to her sink, rinsing and wetting the towel to wipe down the girl's bare body. She started with the girl's face. She wiped away the small amount of dirt on her face to reveal the girl's pretty, clear face. She then moved to the torso and stomach of the girl, her intentions pure. She wiped off her chest and stomach revealing the girl's gorgeous, well-toned body. Kotori unconsciously reached for the girl's abs, slowly gliding her finger in a zigzag fashion before stopping herself.

"What are you doing?! This girl is injured, you can't be doing this to her!" Kotori whispered to herself. She placed her hands on her cheeks and shook her head to clear her thoughts. Once her mind was cleared, she went back to work. She sat the girl up, resting her head on her shoulder. She wiped down the canvas of the girl's back, removing all the blood. The skin was a beautiful clear, pearly white, just like the rest of her body. The only visible flaws were a couple purple bruises, most likely formed by whatever happened in that forest. Once the girl was clean of blood and dirt, Kotori moved her. She grabbed the girl by the armpits and carried her over to a clean part of her kitchen. She gently set her down on the floor before walking over to her living room to get a throw blanket to cover the girl. The picked up the soft fabric of the blanket off her couch and walked back off to the kitchen where the girl was lying. She opened up the blanket and draped it over the girl's naked body. She stood up and looked down at the girl. She smiled when she saw how peaceful the girl looked. She could spend the whole night admiring the girl, but she had work to do. Her attention turned to the bloody mess in front of her back door. She walked over to her kitchen sink and grabbed a bucket out of the cabinet below. She placed it in the sink and let the water run into it until it was about hand full. Struggling slightly from the water weight, she lifted the bucket from the sink and set it by the mess. She went back to a drawer next to the sink and grabbed a yellow sponge to wipe down the floor. It was a constant pattern of wiping the floor and rinsing the sponge in the water bucket. By the time she was done with the floor, the water was red from the blood. She opened the back door and carried the bucket out. She stepped to the edge of the patio and spilled the water bucket off into the grass. She grabbed a hose and rinsed off the blood on the patio.

Kotori walked back inside, now everything but her clean of blood. She glanced at the girl to the right of the door, in the kitchen. She sighed.

"Well, I guess I'll bring you to my room so you have somewhere comfortable to sleep." She walked over to the girl and moved the blanket off of her. She sat her up and placed the blanket on her back. Kotori then grabbed her arms and draped them over her shoulders. She stood her up before smoothing the blanket under her bottom and putting her on her back for a piggy back ride. The girl was actually quite easy to carry on her back being lighter than she expected. Kotori held the girl on her back and walked her up to her room. She stepped quietly down the hall, remembering that her mom was asleep in one of the rooms. She walked into her lit room and shut the door behind her, then walking to her bed. She sat down on her bed, releasing the girl and lying her down on the bed. She moved over to her dresser and pulled out a blue nightgown and a pair of underwear. She went back to the girl and dressed her in her clothes. Kotori straightened the girl out, placing her head on a soft and fluffy pillow and tucking her in. Kotori grabbed herself new pajamas before walking over to the bathroom. Kotori took off her bloodied clothes and changed into the new pair. She washed her hands once again and carried the clothes to her room. She put them in the trash; the blood has stained them and she could make a new one anyway. She pulled up a chair next to her bed and sat down in it, watching over the strange girl.

* * *

Umi was enveloped by a warm, calming presence. She sniffed the air. It smelt like the sweet smell of fully bloomed flowers. Her eyes fluttered open, woken by a ray of light hitting her eyes. As she regained her consciousness, she became more aware of her surroundings. She jolted up from where she was resting. She remembered the events that happened the night before, although it was quite hazy. She placed her hand on her forehead, trying to see of she remembers anything about how she got in this room.

"Oh... You're up. Good morning."

Umi's head shot towards the direction of the voice. Her eyes became wide when she saw the girl raise her head from the bed and rub her eyes. Umi jumped off the bed, away from the girl.

"Hey! It's okay. I'm the one who helped you yesterday. I'm Minami Kotori!" Kotori called to the alarmed girl. Umi looked down at her arm to see the bandages. She began to rip them off.

"That wound was pretty bad! I would leave them on..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at the girl's arm. The bullet hole was gone.

"Woah." Kotori murmured. Umi looked from her arm to Kotori.

"Thank you. I must leave now." Umi bowed before turned away to the door. In the process, her stomach let out a long growl. Umi's face slowly turned red.

"Um, would you like to stay for breakfast?"

There was a small silence between the two before Umi answered.

"Yes, please." Umi answered quietly. Kotori giggled at the response.

"W-What?" Umi stuttered, embarrassed of herself.

"It's nothing." Kotori replied still giggling. Umi turned bright red and exited the room. Kotori followed behind. Umi stopped at the stairs.

"Did you carry me up these...?"

"Yep! I also washed you and clothed you."

 _Washed and clothed..._ Umi thought to herself. She covered her face with her hands to cover her intense blush.

"Don't worry, I didn't do anything."

Umi peered out of her fingers.

"I'm so ashamed."

"Don't be! You couldn't help it! You were unconscious!" Kotori comforted. "Anyways, let's go eat some breakfast." Umi nodded and walked down the stairs. She sat down at the dining table while Kotori continued on to the kitchen. Kotori opened up her fridge and pulled out two eggs and some bacon. She grabbed a pan and set it on the stove. She turned the stove up and let the pan warm.

"How did you find me anyway?" Umi questioned. Kotori thought about this.

"You called for help, didn't you?"

Umi went silent for moment. Kotori cracked the eggs into the pan. They let out a sizzle when they came in contact with the hot metal.

"I didn't. I thought it to myself... You saw me, I was a wolf. I can't speak as an animal." Umi went silent again.

 _Minami-san, can you hear me?_

"Of course I can. You're speaking to me. Anyways, you can just call me Kotori!" Kotori turned back and smiled at Umi. Her smile slowly went away went she saw Umi's face full of shock.

"W-What...?"

 _Minami-san. I'm not speaking out loud._ Umi thought, looking Kotori right in the eyes.

"E-Eh...?"

"I'm sorry. I have to go now." Umi sprinted to the back door, pulling it open quickly. Kotori ran after her, but as she looked out her back door, all that was left a pile of her clothes and a midnight blue raven flying away into the light blue, morning sky.


	2. Chapter 2

Umi flapped her wings as fast as she could away from Kotori's house. She needed answers. She flew over the green forest, taking the quickest route possible to her home. She looked down as she flew over the clearing she was in the previous night. She could see the red splattered on the boulder she stood on. She raised her head again and looked forward. She stopped beating her wings and began to use the wind to carry her to the town.

 _How could she read my mind...? She's just a human...isn't she?_ The facts troubled her. Umi tilted slightly to the left as she descended, getting closer to her house on the outskirts of the town. She landed at the base of a large oak tree, about a five minute walk from her backyard. She started to transform back into a human. Her bones morphed and merged forming the shape of her human body. The forming bones caused constant crackling, a sound Umi got used to after numerous transformations. The feathers scattered off of her body as she grew, each one fading off into thin air. She stood up from her crouch on the forest floor. She searched around the base of the tree until she found a large exposed root, curving in a low arch. Umi vaulted over the root to the other side, where the ground dipped beneath the root. She scooped the pile of decaying leaves from under the root to behind her. She wiped away a thin layer of dirt, revealing a large, clear, zip-locked bag full of clothes. She took out a sweater, a pair of underwear, and a skirt. She stepped into the underwear, pulling it up and over her bottom. The skirt followed after that. She placed her arms in the sleeves of the sweater before pulling it over her head. She pulled her hair out from under the sweater and squatted back down to cover the bag up once again. She zipped the bag up and placed it in the space under the root. She scooted some dirt back on top and pushed the leaves back under the root. Umi stood back up and brushed off her hands before walking towards her house. The forest ground was soft enough to be able to walk around barefoot, with the occasional twig here and there. Umi placed her hand in her sweater pockets and hastily walked to her house.

* * *

"Nozomiiiii!" Umi called. Nozomi was Umi's 'mentor.' She was a year older than Umi and was also a shapeshifter, the only other shapeshifter she knew. She seems a bit laid back at times, but is actually really skilled at her transformations, meaning instead of fully turning into the animal, she could choose which part of her to change into an animal part. It was really hard to do, but possible. She turned around to shut the back door of the house. As she turned again, bright emerald eyes met hers. Umi sighed and walked past her and sat down on the couch.

"Awww," Nozomi pouted. "Did I not scare you?"

"I can smell you, you know. I knew you were behind me when I turned to the door." Umi replied. "Anyway, I have some questions I need answers to."

"Ask away!"

"There was this...girl I met yesterday. She was able to hear my thoughts. Why?"

Nozomi sat down on the couch next to Umi and smiled a big grin.

"What?" Umi asked, utterly confused by Nozomi's reaction.

"You've found your soul mate!"

"Oh." Umi responded. She thought about it for a minute. "Wait, what?!"

Nozomi burst out into laughter. Umi looked at her wide-eyed, not believing what she just heard.

"H-Hey, Nozomi! This isn't funny!" Umi whined. Nozomi wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as her laughter died down.

"Okay, I'll explain further now. Some supernatural beings, such as shapeshifters like ourselves, have their partner chosen for them by the forces of nature. Usually, they feel at peace in each others presence. They also can hear each others thoughts, only the ones they want them to hear though. It's a mutual thing." Nozomi explained. She smiled mischievously as she leaned in closer to Umi. "Is that what you were doing last night?" Nozomi whispered. Umi's face turned bright red, understanding what she meant.

"N-No of course not! I was injured and she saved me but I was unconscious so she took me to her room and I slept in her bed!" Umi explained quickly.

"So you slept in her bed?" Nozomi teased, getting even close to Umi.

"S-She wasn't sleeping in it with me! She was sleeping in a chair next to me!" Umi practically yelled. She was extremely flustered by the topic.

"Okay, okay. I'm just teasing you, Umi." Nozomi giggled. "But now I need to talk to you a bit about our regeneration. While we regen faster than humans, we can still die of blood loss. You still need to properly bandage any serious wounds, and if you get shot, you need to remove the bullet so that you can start the healing process. Got it?"

Umi nodded.

"I'm going to freshen up a bit before heading out again, Nozomi. I'll be back later on today." Umi rose from the couch. "Oh, and be careful in the forest. There's hunters." With her final words to Nozomi, Umi walked to the hallway closet, across from the bathroom. Umi grabbed a towel and made her way into the bathroom. She turned on the lights and locked the bathroom door. She pulled open the shower curtains and turned the shower on. She closed up the curtains, letting the water warm a bit before she goes in. She pulled her sweater over her head and set it on the towel rack. She then pulled down her skirt and underwear, placing it on the counter. Umi walked back over to the shower and placed her hand under the water testing the warmth. Seeing that it was perfect temperature, she stepped in. She let the water dampen her hair before she poured a small amount of soap in her hand and lathered it in her hair. Once she was sure she thoroughly cleaned her hair, she placed her head under the water, washing all the soap out.

 _Minami Kotori, huh..._

Umi turned shower off and wrung out her hair so that it wouldn't drip all over the bathroom. She wrapped the towel around her body tightly and grabbed her clothes. Umi left the bathroom and tossed her clothes into the washing machine, even though she barely used them. Umi walked upstairs and to her room. She opened the door to her room and walked inside. Umi's room was in the back of the house, so her window opened to the forest. Umi opened the window wide open. She stepped back a bit and let her towel drop to the ground.

 _Raven._

Umi transformed into the raven. She beat her wings, lifting herself from the floor of her room, and flew out the opened window. Umi flew back to Kotori's house. After hearing that she's her 'soul mate,' Umi's curiosity in her piqued. She wanted to see what she was like.

Umi rested on a tree branch in the line of trees that became the forest. She saw that Kotori was sitting on a chair on her patio, waiting.

 _Is she waiting for me?_ Umi thought to herself. She wasn't afraid of Kotori hearing her because she knew the rules behind the whole mind-reading thing. Umi watched Kotori. She was wearing a pretty flower dress with cool, pastel colors. Umi understood what Nozomi meant by 'feel at peace.' Looking at Kotori made Umi feel like there was nothing wrong with the world. Umi was surprised when Kotori stood up and headed in her direction. She thought she had been caught, but Kotori kept walking farther into the forest. Flying through the forest would be a challenge, so Umi transformed into something easier; a chipmunk. Umi scaled down the tree and trailed Kotori, running from tree to tree to avoid being spotted. The only noise Umi made was the soft pitter-patters of her tiny feet as she ran over the decaying leaves. Every now and then Kotori would stop and look at the ground, then proceed walking in a direction. The path was familiar.

 _Is she following the trail of blood?_

Umi almost bumped into Kotori as she stopped and looked at a tree. She frowned and brushed her thumb against the bark, then continued to walk. Umi ran over to the tree and examined it. Dried blood was smeared across the trunk. Kotori _was_ following the trail. Eventually, Kotori found the clearing. She pushed some brush out of the way and stepped into the clearing. She followed the trail to the boulders. Kotori stepped onto the smallest boulder and began making her way up. Umi waited at the bottom of the boulders, hiding in a cluster of tall grass. Kotori climbed to the biggest boulder and sat down on the edge, her legs hanging off the side.

"This is where you were shot, huh..." Kotori whispered. Her voice was hinted with sadness. She slid her hand over the smooth rock, speckled red from the blood. Umi stood still. Has she been caught?

"I...I know you're here. I don't know how to explain it, but I think I... _feel_ you." Kotori spoke louder than before.

 _Crap. Well, no point in hiding now..._ Umi thought. She walked out of the tall grass and onto the boulders. Kotori turned her head to face the climbing stones when she heard the faint clicks of Umi's chipmunk feet hitting the rocks. Umi leaped up on the final rock, skidding slightly as she landed. Her eyes met with Kotori's.

"Hi." Kotori smiled. Her smile made Umi feel warm inside. Umi walked over to Kotori's side and sat down on her little chipmunk bottom.

"You know, I never did get your name."

 _Sonoda Umi. Nice to meet you, Minami-san._

"Sonoda Umi... Nice to meet you, Umi-chan!" Kotori smiled once again. "But... I'm pretty sure I said you can call me Kotori!"

 _K-Kotori? Okay... Nice you meet you, Kotori..._

"That's better!" Kotori pet Umi's head, proud that she actually said her name. If chipmunks could blush, she'd definitely be blushing right now.

"You know... I really want to see human you more often. While I enjoy looking at cute little chipmunks, I would enjoy seeing the actual face of my friend."

 _W-Well if I turn human, I won't have any clothes on... It's too shameless._

Kotori laughed. It was a sound that made Umi's heart light up.

"It's fine, Umi-chan. Maybe tomorrow we can go out somewhere and hang out as humans?"

 _That sounds great!_ Umi couldn't control her excitement. She knew her eyes were sparkling with delight.

"Okay then, Umi-chan." Kotori stood up. "I need to head back home and finish some work. Meet me at my house tomorrow at 12!"

 _See you tomorrow, Kotori._

Kotori waved goodbye and hopped down the boulders. She disappeared into the forest. Umi smiled. She quickly turned back into a raven and flew home.

* * *

Umi glided into her window, transforming back into a human as soon as she entered the room. She still had her bright smile on her face. She walked over to her wooden dresser and pulled out a shirt, a pair of shorts, underwear, and a bra. She got dressed then brushed her hair out. Umi closed her bedroom window and exited her room, walking through the hallway to the stairs. She walked down a couple steps, before sniffing the air. Her nose caught a whiff of an unfamiliar scent. Umi slowed down her walk and began to sneak down the stairs, cautious enough to not make any noise. She heard clanking coming from the kitchen. She walked to the other side of the downstairs hall, and peeked around the corner into the kitchen. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the creature that invaded her house. A tall, blonde, girl with fox ears and a large fluffy tail was bent over, raiding the fridge. She sniffed the air again. The scent was much more intense now. Umi crouched and ran past the second opening into the kitchen. Umi entered through the first opening and hid behind the long side of the island in the middle of the kitchen. Umi glanced over the top of the island. The fox girl was still focused on digging through the fridge. She edged her way to the smaller side, getting ready to ambush the intruder. As soon as she heard the fridge door shut, Umi leaped out from her hiding place and pinned the girl down. Umi was sitting on top of the girl with her arm placed against her neck.

"What are you doing in my house?!" Umi shouted at the blonde. Her blue eyes were mixed between surprise and a bit of fear.

"I...I..." The girl tried to speak but, with the way Umi was holding her, wasn't able to.

"Umi! It's fine! That's my mate!"

Umi turned her head to face Nozomi, not loosening her hold on the girl. Nozomi's eyes were filled with worry. Umi looked back down at the girl, who was nodding furiously. Umi backed off the girl and apologized quickly. The fox girl stood up from the floor.

"It's fine, you were just protecting yourself against a stranger." The girl said, rubbing her throat. "I'm Ayase Eli, the kitsune." Eli held out her hand for Umi to shake. Umi hesitantly grabbed her hand and shook it. Nozomi ran over to Eli's side and hugged her.

"I'm sorry Elichi. I should've told her that you were coming over." Nozomi turned her head upward to face Eli's.

"Hey... It's alright. No one was harmed." Eli answered back delicately. They gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. Their lips slowly came closer until they met in a passionate kiss.

"T-That's shameful!" Umi yelled at the two.

"Oh, sorry Umi. I forgot you were there." Nozomi apologized as she stuck out her tongue. Umi's face twitched in disbelief.

"Anyways, how did your stalking go?"

"St-Stalking?! I was inspecting her!"

"Isn't that the same thing?"

Umi groaned. Nozomi laughed.

"Well, I'm going out to the town with her tomorrow." Umi mumbled. Nozomi drained all her energy.

"Ooo, going out on a date already? Smooth." Nozomi smirked.

"We're going as friends!"

"Girlfriends?"

Umi sighed. She walked away from Nozomi and Eli. She dragged herself up the stairs and into her room, the one place she was, slightly, free from Nozomi. She threw herself onto her bed and stared at the roof. It was still only 2 pm. All Umi could do is wait for the day to pass.


	3. Chapter 3

Umi woke up early. All she could think about was her 'date' with Kotori. She looked outside her window. The outside world was still dark blue. Umi stretched her arms high in the air and yawned. She walked away from the window and to her dresser. She looked through the drawers to find her outfit for the day.

 _What is this really is a date? Should I dress formal or informal? What if I overdress?_ Who knew choosing an outfit could be so hard. After tearing through her drawers, Umi decided to go with a short, black skirt and white dress shirt. She glanced over to the bright green numbers on her radio clock. It was still only about six am. Seeing that she still had six hours until she had to pick up Kotori, Umi left the clean clothes on top of her dresser, not wanting to dirty them in the time she had left. Umi wandered out of her room and into the hall. She noticed that Nozomi's room door was wide open, so she glanced inside. Eli was sprawled across Nozomi's bed with Nozomi sleeping on top of her. Umi grabbed the doorknob of Nozomi's door and silently shut the door. She continued walking down the hallway and downstairs. The house was quiet and dark, the only noise coming from Umi's footsteps. Umi made her way to the fridge in her kitchen. She pulled open the fridge door searched for something to eat. The light from the fridge illuminated the whole kitchen. After searching around, Umi decided a bowl of yogurt mixed with a variety of berries would be good. She grabbed the tub of vanilla yogurt and a container of berries. She backed out of the fridge and turned around to set her ingredients on the island, lightly kicking the fridge door shut with her foot as she did so. Umi left her ingredients where they were and headed for the cupboard with the bowls. She opened up a mahogany cupboard, revealing the bowls and plates. She reached up and grabbed a white glass bowl. She shut the cupboard and pulled a spoon out of from a cabinet below. Umi placed the bowl next to the ingredients and opened up the yogurt. She spooned a couple scoops of yogurt into her bowl and sprinkled some of the berries on top. She placed the spoon into her bowl and put the food back into the fridge. She took her bowl and headed for her backyard. Umi closed the sliding glass door behind her and walked over to her house wall. She leaned her back against the wall and took a bite of her food. She stared into the shaded forest that was filled with an orchestra of chirping insects. The forest was a place of peace for Umi, somewhere she loved to be. The glass door sliding open brought her back from her thoughts.

"I thought you'd be out here." Umi turned her head to see Nozomi, still slightly ruffled from her sleep.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

Nozomi shook her head. "Nope. I just felt like it was a good time to get up."

Nozomi moved besides Umi and leaned against the wall with her. Umi took another bite of her yogurt. A comfortable silence enveloped the two, only nature creating the sounds around them.

Nozomi broke the silence. "You don't have to be nervous, you know."

Umi glanced over at her. "I'm not."

Nozomi sighed at her answer. "Umi. We've been living together in this house for years now. I can tell." This brought back memories to Umi, ones of unhappy days.

Umi didn't come from a family line of shapeshifters, her parents were both human. She was an oddity. She seemed like a normal, human child until she hit the age of five. The first time Umi transformed was on her sixth birthday, reaching to pet their family's cat but instead turning into one. The transformation wasn't quick either, it was a slow, brutal, excruciatingly painful experience. The pain, so unbearable, caused Umi to fall on the floor, screaming out in pain. The pain wasn't even the worst part. The way her parents looked at her with _horror_ and _disgust_ when she did turn ruined the little girl. It wasn't until a year later her parents finally got rid of her. They left her at a park at the other side of the city, evacuating the city afterwards, giving Umi no chance of finding them once again. To get by, Umi was forced to steal bread from a bakery, not far from which was the alley she called home. She lived like that for two years. It was there that the purple haired girl found her and took her in, knowing that Umi was like her.

Umi pushed her memories aside. She didn't want to be gloomy on the day she was to go out with Kotori.

"Trust me. Just be yourself and nothing will go wrong."

Nozomi smiled when Umi looked at her.

"Well..." Nozomi stretched her arms in front of her. "I'm going to get back to my room. Elichi will be up soon." She winked and walked away, leaving Umi with a blank expression on her face. Umi grumbled a bit to herself about Nozomi before finishing her breakfast. She walked back inside her house and cleaned up her dishes.

Umi still had hours until she had to meet up with Kotori. She thought about things to pass some time. She voted out going into the forest because of the event that happened a couple nights ago. She decided to do some exercising; she did have to work to get her body the way it was. Umi went to her room, trying her best to ignore the things happening past Nozomi's, once again, open room door. She changed into her workout clothes; yoga pants and a black tank top. Umi hurried past Nozomi's room and back downstairs to an exercise room Nozomi had put together specifically for Umi. The house they were using was given to Nozomi from her father, who supplied the house with the furniture and paid for all the bills. It was a medium-sized house with more rooms necessary for the two girls. Her father also provides them with cash and any other items they want. It's still a mystery to Umi how Nozomi's dad acquires all the money, but Nozomi just says it's a 'monster thing'. She entered her exercise room and looked at the variety of machines and weights, all courtesy of Nozomi's dad. She started up a treadmill and began running.

Umi worked out for two whole hours. By the time she finished, she was dripping with sweat. Umi grabbed a towel, already prepared in the room, and wiped her face down. She draped the towel around her neck and looked outside the window. The sun was now out and shining. Umi left the exercise room and headed to the shower.

Once she finished showering, she dried her hair and dressed up in the clothes she picked out in the morning. Umi walked back downstairs to the living room, where Nozomi and Eli were watching tv.

"Nozomi, is there anything you want? I'm going out for a bit to waste some time."

Nozomi thought for a moment. "We're running a bit low on our meats. Oh, and some chocolate would be nice!" The word 'chocolate' caught Eli's attention. Umi nodded and walked the front door of the house. She grabbed her purse off the coat rack; complete with some cash, her phone, and a few other necessities. Umi slid her feet into her sandals and left the house.

Umi took a bus into the city, where all of the good stores were. The ride itself took ten minutes, partially due to traffic. Once she got to the closest stop to her store, she got off and walked the rest of the distance. The city was quite crowded, only getting a bit of personal space.

 _This would be so much easier if I could just fly over them..._ Umi thought to herself. She sighed and continued to make her way through the crowd. Eventually, Umi reached the supermarket.

Umi walked through the automatic doors of the supermarket, grabbing a basket as she entered. She ambled over to the refrigerated section to look at some meats for Nozomi. A large section of the back wall of the store was dedicated to the meats. Knowing what Nozomi liked, she reached down and picked out a couple packages of meat. Seeing that she had enough in her basket, Umi began walking to the checkout lane. She grabbed the plastic divider, setting it on the conveyor belt, before placing her basket behind it. She took a couple of chocolate bars off the shelf on the checkout counter and set them on the belt as well. Soon, it was her turn to purchase her items. Umi pulled a 10,000 yen bill out of her purse.

"I'll also have one of those insulation bags." Umi said to the cashier. The cashier nodded. She grabbed the bag from behind her and scanned it. She began to scan the other items as well.

"That'll be 5,700 yen."

Umi handed her the money. The cashier entered it in the cash register and took out her change.

"Thank you come again!" The cashier smiled and handed Umi her receipt and change. Umi took the receipt, change, and groceries and headed out. She headed back into the crowd of people to walk back to her bus stop. The city smelt of exhaust from cars, pollution, and people to Umi's exceptional nose. It was a common thing in most cities. As she continued to walk, she caught the smell of something new, something weird. Whatever was causing that smell was coming closer too. She continued to walk, a little more cautious of her surroundings. The smell grew stronger and stronger. She noticed up a little further two girls; one was a tall red-head, while the other was a shorter girl with black hair. The shorter one was clinging onto the red-head's arm. Umi noticed how the red-head made heads turn to admire her beauty. As Umi continued walking, those two girls passed by her. Time felt like it slowed when they were by each other. Umi peered into the red-head's cold, purple eyes. That girl wasn't a human. Just being around her gave Umi a feeling of discomfort. Right before she got out of sight, Umi could've sworn the corner of the girl's lips curved into a slight smirk. Umi halted in the middle of the sidewalk, earning angry remarks from the people behind her. She turned around and began to tail the two girls. She walked slower than them, keeping her distance to keep from being caught. She saw the two turn into an alley. Umi walked a bit faster to catch up. She scooted through the people on the sidewalk and into the alley. It was a damp and shady place. Umi cautiously snuck down the alley. The two girls were gone, out of her sight. She edged forward, listening for any noises other than the chattering of the city people behind her.

"M-Maki-chan...!" The wince in her words quickly turned to pleasure. Umi froze and looked towards the direction of the moan. The only place that was out of her sight was behind the large trash bin against the wall in the middle of the alley. She edged closer to the bin, closer to the walls across the alley. She caught a glimpse of what was happening. On the other side of the trash bin were the two girls. The shorter one was pushed up against the building's wall, head tilted upwards, exposing her neck to the red-head, Maki, who's face was buried in her neck. Umi grimaced at the sight.

"I know you're standing there. I could smell you from a mile away." Maki spoke, pulling a couple inches away from the smaller girl's neck. At her angle, Umi could see the red liquid dribbling from the corner of Maki's mouth and down her chin. Her eyes were now bloodshot, the veins under her eyes protruding from underneath her skin. While Maki's head was blocking the bite mark, she could see the blood dripping down the smaller girl's neck. Maki turned back towards the girl's shoulder and gave it a couple licks before standing straight. The teeth marks on the girl's neck seemed to be slowly stitching itself back together. Soon, the mark was completely gone, bringing the girl's skin back to its flawless state. Maki used her finger to swipe up the blood on her face, licking her finger clean afterwards.

"You're a vampire, aren't you? What do you think you're doing to that girl?" Umi growled. Before Umi knew it, Maki had her hands held firmly behind her back. Umi's bags dropped to the floor.

"I'd watch my tone if I were you, little shapeshifter. You don't even know how to use your powers to their full potential yet." Maki whispered into Umi's ear. Maki released Umi and walked back to the other girl's side. "Besides, it's not like I'm forcing her to do this, anyway. Nico-chan chose to be with me, accepting what I am even after seeing what I could do." Maki's eyes went back to normal. She picked Nico up bridal style.

"Wait," Umi began, thinking back on what Maki told her. "What do you mean 'I don't know how to use my powers to their full potential?'" Maki didn't answer. Within seconds, Maki and Nico disappeared. This left Umi with, yet again, more questions. Umi sighed. She picked her bags back off the ground and headed home.

* * *

"Oh, Umi, you're back. What took you so long?" Umi took off her sandals and went to the fridge. She emptied out her bag into the fridge.

"I met someone, a vampire to be more exact." Umi began. "But this will have to wait until later. I need to start heading to Kotori's house." Umi set down the insulated bag and put on a nicer pair of shoes.

"When I get back, I want some answers." Umi shut the door behind her.

Instead of going through the forest, the quicker route, Umi went around it just to make sure she didn't dirty her clothes. The walk through the forest, in her human form, took thirty minutes at least, meaning the walk around to Kotori's house would take about an hour. While she has never been on the roads towards Kotori's house, she knew the way there from memorizing the aerial view of the city by flying over it. Umi took the quickest path possible. The long wait in the morning had Umi desperate to see Kotori, causing Umi to become more excited with every step closer. By the time she reached Kotori's doorstep, her heart was pounding out of her chest. Being so close to her once again, Umi could feel her presence. Umi smiled at the sensation. Umi placed her finger on the doorbell, giving it a tap before placing her hand back by her side. Umi heard the doorbell go off and footsteps approaching the door. The person who answered the door was not who Umi expected it to be.

"Oh, hello! You must be Kotori's new friend! You can come inside, she's still getting ready." The woman, most likely Kotori's mother, exclaimed. She looked like Kotori; her face was just like Kotori's but a bit longer, her hair was almost in the same fashion, and they had the same golden amber eyes. Umi came into her house and stood by the entryway.

"You can sit down on the couch, if you'd like. She'll be down soon."

Umi accepted the offer. She walked to the couch while scanning the house. She had only been in here once, and for half of the time she was unconscious.

 _I'm here._ Umi thought, allowing Kotori to hear it. Almost immediately, the footsteps thumping on the floor above sped up. Umi turned her head to face the stairs even she heard the footsteps coming down.

"Umi-chan!" Kotori beamed at the sight of her. She was wearing a frilly, white skirt with a sky blue shirt. She hopped off the bottom step onto the ground floor and made her way to Umi's side.

Umi smiled. "Hi, Kotori. Are you ready?"

"Yep! Let's go!"

Kotori grabbed her purse off the coat hanger and put on her shoes. Umi opened the door, allowing her to leave first.

"Such a gentleman, Umi-chan. Thank you!"

Umi blushed a bit at the comment. "Y-You're welcome."

* * *

The first shop they went to visit was a cake and sweets shop. They walked up to the glass counter and looked at the cakes inside. Plenty of different cake types, ranging from angel cake to tiramisu, were lined up inside.

"We also have more sweets listed on the menu above!" The cashier sung. Kotori seemed mesmerized by all the cakes on display. All Umi could do was smile. It took them a couple minutes to choose their sweets.

"I'll have a strawberry cheesecake, please!" Kotori chirped.

"And I'll have an anko manju." Umi added. The cashier input the info on the cash register.

"That'll be 990 yen."

Kotori reached into her purse for her money.

"It's alright, I'll pay for this, Kotori." Umi said, stopping Kotori. Kotori looked over at Umi.

"But-"

Umi shook her head. She refused to let her pay with her money when Umi could so easily obtain some.

"It's fine. Consider it as a thanks for taking me out today." Umi smiled, trying to comfort her. Umi reached into her bag and pulled out a 1000 yen bill. Umi handed it to the cashier.

"Thank you, Umi-chan."

"It's no big deal, don't worry." Umi reassured. She brought her focus back to the cashier. "You can keep the change." She had no need for ten yen. The cashier pushed some buttons, causing the cash register to open with a 'ding.'

"Those sweets will be out in a second. Please, take a seat." The cashier smiled at the two girls before disappearing into the kitchen area of the bakery. Kotori and Umi sat down at an empty table by the window. The cashier returned with both of their sweets, now plated. He sat the sweets in front of their respected owners.

The man bowed. "Enjoy!" He stood back up and walked back to his spot behind the counter.

The bakery was actually quite popular. While most people took their sweets to go, some stayed to enjoy them. Those people sat at the other tables around them. Kotori picked up the fork set next to next cheesecake and cut off the tip of the cake, bringing the piece to her mouth.

She brought her free hand to her cheek. "Ahh...so good!" She placed another small piece in her mouth, savoring the taste. Umi picked up her manju and began to munch on it as well. She began to think about Kotori; how normal she acts around her, even knowing she's not human, and not even asking any questions about it. Umi finished chewing the manju in her mouth and swallowed it.

"Why aren't you asking any questions about me, about what I am?" Umi asked quietly, only loud enough for Kotori to hear. The chattering of the people around them was loud enough to drown out their conversation to outsiders, but Umi wanted to be extra careful. Kotori took another bite of her cheesecake before talking.

"Of course I have some questions, but I don't really find them that important. I don't think much can change my feelings about you." Kotori responded simply. Her face turned a bit red when she thought about what she said. "L-Like our friendship." She covered up quickly. Umi felt a little disappointed with the add-on.

"Well, I feel the need to explain some things to you. You have the right to know." Umi started before lowering her voice a bit more. "But I'll tell you with my thoughts. I feel safer speaking that way." Kotori nodded to show she understood.

 _You already know that I'm not human. I'm a shapeshifter, meaning I can turn into any animal I want. Usually, people can't hear my thoughts, but you can. I can also hear yours if you want me to. We can also feel each other's presences._ Umi explained. She took a bite of her manju, making the silence between them seem less suspicious to the people around them.

 _Testing, testing, is this thing on?_ A voice popped into Umi's mind. Umi snickered at the phrase. It soon evolved into a light laughter when she saw the shock in Kotori's face.

 _Wooow! This is so cool! How does this work?_ Kotori asked.

 _I'm not exactly sure, I'm still learning a bit myself._ Umi lied. She wasn't sure that dropping the whole 'mate' thing on her would be the best idea. She didn't want Kotori to feel forced into the relationship, but instead have it be natural. The two of them finished their sweets before heading out again.

They continued to walk down the street, looking at stores as they passed by them. Kotori found one that she was particularly fond of. Kotori rushed over to the entrance of the shop, eyes sparkling like diamonds. Umi hurried over to her side to see what she was so excited about. It seemed like the store was full of different stuffed animal items, from Hello Kitty to Rilakuma.

"Cuuute!" Kotori squeaked. She picked up a little pastel blue alpaca phone strap off a metal rack. "So fluffy..." She added, blissfully, petting it with her finger.

"Want me to buy it for you?" Umi offered. She was met by Kotori's shining eyes.

"Yes!" She cheered. "I'll get one for you so we match!" She picked another alpaca phone strap off the rack, this time a white one. Kotori handed Umi to blue alpaca and hurried over to pay for Umi's. They left the store, each with a little bag for the strap. They exchanged bags, giving each other their gift. Kotori was glowing when she pulled out the blue alpaca phone strap. She pulled out her phone and put the strap on, Umi doing the same.

"Ta-da!" Kotori sung. She held her phone out for Umi to see. "Now we match!"

"Cute..." Umi whispered under her breath. She was too busy focusing on Kotori that she didn't think about what she was saying.

"Yea, it is!" Kotori responded cheerfully. Umi felt the blood rush to her face.

 _It's a good thing she thought I was talking about the alpaca!_ Umi thought to herself.

"Oh, look! There's a movie theater over there! Let's go get some tickets, Umi-chan!" Kotori pointed off down the street. She grabbed Umi's hand and rushed down the street. Umi was surprised by the sudden contact, but she didn't want to let go. Kotori's hand felt like a magnet to hers. It felt nice. Umi jogged alongside Kotori, keeping up with her pace. She closed her fingers around Kotori's, accepting the hold. She looked at Kotori's face to see if she showed any reaction to the touch, if she felt the same way Umi did. She just kept her eyes locked on the theater with a smile on her face.

* * *

Their day together ended when the sun began to set. Umi escorted Kotori back to her house.

"Today was really fun." Kotori said, now behind the open door to her house.

"Yea, it was." She thought a minute before continuing. "Maybe tomorrow I can show you around the forest?"

"That'll be nice. I have school tomorrow though, so I won't be home until around 3. Is that okay?"

Umi nodded. "Just wait in your backyard and I'll come for you."

"D-Do you think I can get your phone number?" Umi added sheepishly.

"Mm-hm!" Kotori pulled out her phone, showing Umi the number. Umi took out her own phone, inputting the number Kotori showed her. Umi clicked the call button, causing the phone in front of her to ring. Her ringtone was birds chirping.

""There's my number for when you have to call... So now that we have everything settled, see you tomorrow?"

"Yep! See you tomorrow, Umi-chan!" Kotori waved goodbye. Umi smiled as she turned around to walk back to her home. She heard the door close behind her as she walked away. She looked at the number on her phone and smiled, not knowing Kotori did the same behind the closed door.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ **Ahh, long chapter! I finally got it out! I plan on making "Shifted Shorts" which is just little stories about what the characters do in their daily life and etc. Oh, and speech in italics are not spoken aloud, and in their heads, just to prevent confusion.** **Anyways, hope you like it so far!**


	4. Chapter 4

Umi walked through the front door of her house. While she was still happy from her day with Kotori, she had business to attend to. She hung up her purse on the coat rack.

"Welcome back, Umi!" Nozomi shouted from inside the living room. Umi went into the living room and sat down on an armchair by the couch. Nozomi was sitting on the main couch next to Eli.

"Umi, earlier you said something about a vampire? Would you like to tell me more about it?" Eli asked.

"I ran into her earlier today. She said that I didn't know how to use my powers to their full potential." Umi explained to her. The look on Eli's face told that she knew something about the vampire.

"Do you remember what she looked like, a name maybe?"

Umi thought for a moment. "Red hair and purple eyes. I believe her name was Maki?"

Eli hummed knowingly. "So she's back in town..."

"What? You know her?"

"Yep. Nishikino Maki, vampire. Her parents, also vampires, have their own hospital here in the city where they get their blood supply. She's been here for as long as I have, though she tends to come and go. I've run into her a couple times, and she doesn't really seem to be a troublemaker." Eli held her hand against her mouth in thought. Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought back on her past. "In fact, I may have worked with her before..."

"When she said that I didn't know how to use my powers, what did she mean?" Umi was curious to see what the vampire girl meant.

"Well, you already know that you don't know how to transform a certain part of your body." Nozomi brought up. "Also, I've tried to keep you away from needing to get into combat, so you don't know how to use your skills efficiently in battle..."

"Is there any way I can get combat training?"

"Why so sudden, Umi?" Nozomi asked with a grin on her face, almost as if she knew the answer.

The blood slowly rushed to Umi's face. "W-Well, I n-now have someone I want to... p-protect." Umi stuttered. Eli giggled at Umi's response.

"Well, I'm sure if you ask her, Maki will consider training you a bit!"

Umi felt herself brighten at the suggestion. "Really?! Thank you, Ayase-san."

"It's no problem, and by the way, you can just call me Eli from now on." Eli smiled. "When you're ready to meet her, go to the Nishikino family hospital and request her. Her parents should contact her for you."

"Ah, thank you again, Eli." Umi stood up from her seat and bowed. She stood back up and walked over to the window, looking out of it to see that the sun had already set completely, leaving the world dark. "Nozomi, I'm going out for a bit tonight. I'll be more cautious this time."

Umi opened the sliding glass door to the back of her house so that she could leave easily when she was transformed. Umi made her way into the kitchen so that she could transform with some privacy. She decided to go with one of her favorite animals to be, the wolf. Umi unbuttoned her dress shirt, not wanting the chance of ruining it in the transformation, and set it on the ground next to her. Once she was done with the tranformation, Umi picked up the pile of clothes in her mouth and trotted over to the glass door. She set her clothes in a neat pile, out of the way of walking. Nozomi got up from the couch and over to the glass door besides Umi.

"Be careful out there. That hunter still might want to claim their prize."

With that Umi dropped her head once in acknowledgement and ran out the door, Nozomi shutting it behind her. Umi ran out into the forest. The familiar, woodsy scent brought Umi comfort. Umi let her mind wander and her legs wander with it. Eventually, she found herself coming upon the backyard of Kotori's house. Umi stopped far enough away so that they couldn't sense each other, knowing the distance from stepping forward into the 'comfort radius.' Umi managed to see the house through the forest brush. Kotori was sitting at her dining table, chatting with her mom and occasionally laughing. She smiled a small smile, barely noticeable in her current wolf state. Seeing that Kotori was happy, Umi turned around and jogged farther into the forest. Umi headed back towards the clearing to rest atop the boulders. As she arrived she focused her hearing, not wanting to get shot once more. She stopped at the edge of where the clearing begins and listened. Her ears twitched as they tried to pick up any sounds around her. After focusing her listening for a couple seconds, Umi heard the muffled steps of shoes on grass coming from in front of her, behind the boulder. The steps were heavy, sounding like they belonged to a big man. Umi crouched lower to the ground as the man came around the boulder. He had a sniper rifle in his hands.

 _This must be the guy who shot me the other day! I want him out of this forest._ Umi thought. She stood up from her spot in the brush and rushed the man, not giving him a chance to think about what's happening. Umi leapt up and grabbed the rifle in her mouth. She bit down on the rifle, hard. The rifle was crushed under the force of her bite, rendering it useless. The man also stumbled backwards, falling on his butt from the sudden attack. Umi stood at the man's feet. She pulled her ears back, bared her teeth, and snarled, warning the man to stay out of the forest.

"Holy shit..." He breathed out. The man's eyes were filled with terror, as Umi's eyes were most likely glowing at this point. The man slowly scooted back before jumping up and running full speed out of the forest, not even bothering to pick up his rifle. Umi hopped atop the boulder and howled. The howl was loud, showing that she dominated this land and the hunter wasn't welcomed. Some other wolves responded the same way, the quiet night becoming filled with the howls of wolves. Umi felt proud to have caused the chorus of howls. She sat down and looked over the forest. It was a beautiful place and she knew all the right places to show Kotori tomorrow. Umi stood back up and hopped down the boulders. She walked through the forest and back to her house.

When she arrived the back door was shut. She scraped her paws against the door, hoping that Nozomi would hear and open the door for her, not wanting to become a naked human outside. Luckily, Nozomi did hear.

"Maybe I should get a doggy door installed for you." Nozomi suggested. She stepped out of the way so that Umi could come in. Umi picked up her clothes from before and brought them to the kitchen, where she transformed back into a human and changed into the clothes.

"Not funny." Umi responded, still buttoning up her top button on her shirt. Umi walked over to her purse and took out her phone. "Is Eli still here?" Umi asked.

"Yep! She'll be staying here for a bit."

"Okay. Well, goodnight Nozomi." Umi gave Nozomi a quick wave before heading to the upstairs bathroom. She stepped inside and brushed her teeth. Once she was done she went to her room and laid in her bed. She opened up her phone to see a message from Kotori.

 **Goodnight, Umi-chan! ( ^ 8 ^ )**

Umi smiled at the text. She looked at the time sent and saw it was only sent a couple minutes ago.

 **Goodnight, Kotori.**

Umi tapped the 'send text' button. She set her phone on the bedside cabinet next to her. She found a comfortable position on her bed and fell asleep.

* * *

The next day passed quickly for Umi. Before she knew it, Kotori was already out of school.

 **School just ended! I'll be home in about 10 minutes!**

 **Okay, I'll be waiting in the forest behind your home.**

Umi grabbed a pair of clothes and shoes to change into when she transformed back into a human and put it in a bag. She ran downstairs and opened her back door. She transformed into a wolf and grabbed the bag of her clothes. She ran out the door towards Kotori's house. Nozomi sighed.

"That's it, I'm getting a dog door."

* * *

When Umi reached Kotori's backyard, she could already sense her home. After anyone five minutes of waiting, Kotori came out the back door. She was wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top. Umi stepped out into Kotori's lawn so she could see her.

"Ah, sorry for the wait! I had to change out of my uniform" Kotori apologized.

 _It's not a problem. I wasn't waiting long._

Kotori noticed the bag Umi was carrying in her mouth.

"Want me to carry that for you, Umi-chan?"

 _That'd be nice. Thank you, Kotori._

Kotori took the bag from Umi's mouth "So I'll just follow you then!"

Their first stop wasn't that far from the clearing, though it was deeper in the forest than Kotori has ever gone. Umi walked over to a bush and stopped.

 _Since it's spring, the wolves have just had pups. Look through here._

Kotori walked to Umi's side and peeked through the green bushes. There in a small flower patch was a wolf and her two pups.

 _Stay here._

Umi pushed her way through the bush and into the flower patchwork the other wolves. She walked to the female and brushed against her as a greeting.

 _I've known her since she was a pup. The whole pack here knows me and my situation. They're actually really accepting of me._

Kotori was in awe at the sight of the wolves, it wasn't every day you gget to see them. The small wolf pups ran up the Umi and began to jump around her. Umi crouched down playfully and started to play with the pups. She rolled on her back and let the pups pounce on her, yapping as they did so. Kotori loved watching them. Umi was so nice to the pups, and the pups were so adorable. After a couple minutes Umi stood back up and said her farewells to the wolf and her pups. She headed back towards Kotori, making sure the pups stayed with their mother.

 _There's a lot of things in here normal people don't get to see. It's all beautiful._

Kotori smiled. She replied with her thoughts as well.

 _Yea! That was really cool and cute, Umi-chan!_

Umi smiled, although it was hard to notice in her wolf form. She began to walk to her next destination.

Umi showed Kotori all kinds of the different wildlife and sceneries in the forest. The sun began to set, but they still had one last destination. Their final stop was a small, flowing creek. Umi guided Kotori to the bed of the creek. The view in front of them was picture perfect. The creek's water was cascading down a rock wall, creating a small waterfall. The setting sun gave the ground a red hue, creating a perfect, peaceful atmosphere. Umi guided Kotori up the creek to rest on where the waterfall started.

 _I'll take my bag now. I'm going to transform back into a human._

Kotori handed Umi her bag, who then walked off behind a tree to transform and change. She placed on her clothes and a pair of sandals before coming out from behind the tree. Kotori was playing with the creek water besides her. Umi sat down next to Kotori.

"Are you the wolf that howls almost every night?" Kotori asked, still sloshing her hand through the water.

"Yea. I'll stop if it's annoying you." Umi answered. Kotori turned to face Umi.

"No, you don't have to stop. It's beautiful."

Umi felt her cheeks warm a bit at the compliment. Kotori looked forward and began to play with the water again.

"You know... today was really fun. I love going places with you." Kotori continued.

"I love going places with you too, Kotori." Umi turned her head to face Kotori. The lighting made her look beautiful. Noticing that Umi was staring, Kotori turned to look back at her. When their eyes met, their gazes softened. Something made it so that Umi couldn't look away. She was completely mesmerized by Kotori. Umi leaned closer to Kotori, Kotori following the same movement. Kotori's eyes fluttered shut as the distance between the two decreased. Their lips gently pushed against each other in a soft kiss. The kiss sent sparks through Umi's body. Umi slid her hand against the smooth rock they were sitting on and intertwined her fingers with Kotori's. Every movement they made sent sparks through their bodies. Umi was the one who slowly, reluctantly pulled back. She opened her eyes to see Kotori staring at her, blushing slightly. Umi noticed the bit of disappointment in Kotori's eyes. Umi looked away quickly, becoming red herself.

"S-So, I guess I should get you home now?" Umi stuttered. Kotori nodded, unable to speak just yet. Umi stood up, realizing her fingers were intertwined with Kotori's. She quickly tried to unhook her fingers, but was stopped by Kotori.

"D...Do you think we can walk to my house like this?" Kotori asked shyly. Umi stopped trying to escape the hold.

"I-I guess."

Kotori stood up as well. She had a slight smile on her face. "Okay, let's go, Umi-chan."

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ **Woah I actually got a chapter out. Chapters may come slower because I'm getting busy with my academics. I'll try to post a new chapter at least once a week though. Btw, finally a KotoUmi kiss c;**


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, the two decided to stay at Kotori's house. Kotori was finishing up some homework, leaving Umi to sit on her bed and relax.

"I'm sorry I called you over while I'm still working, I'll be done in a minute."

Umi looked around the room. She remembered she was in there once, but didn't really look around much. Her room was neat and nice, with some cute things scattered about. It was warm and welcoming, unlike her own room. She looked over to Kotori, who was sitting at her desk doing her homework. Umi could feel her face heat up as she recalled the events from yesterday. She put her hands on her cheeks and shook her head to clear her mind from her thoughts.

"Alright! I finished so we can do something now, Umi-chan!" Kotori turned around, stretching her arms in the air. Umi's arms darted back down to her side. Kotori walked to her bed and fell down on her back besides Umi.

"Hey, Umi-chan..." Kotori began. "That kiss yesterday..." Her voice trailed off.

"S-Sorry about that." Umi apologized anxiously.

"No, it's not like that!" Kotori sat up and grabbed Umi's arm, loosening her grip almost immediately. "Do you think...we could do it again?" She whispered. Umi's head shot towards Kotori. Kotori's features were softened and a slight tinge of pink was apparent on her cheeks.

"U-Umm...y-yes?" Umi stuttered, flustered from the request. Umi closed her eyes tight, letting Kotori initiate the kiss. She could feel Kotori's breath as she got closer and closer. The closer she got, the more Umi's heart began to pound. All nervousness disappeared when their lips came in contact. Again, the kiss wasn't rough, but gentle and peaceful. Kotori pulled away, bringing Umi's bottom lip forward slightly before returning back to it's place.

"Wow... That feels... amazing." Kotori breathed.

"K-Kotori...?" Umi hesitantly began. She felt like Kotori needed to know this now. "There's something I need to tell you, but you have to promise you won't hate me for keeping it from you..."

Kotori looked slightly confused and worried at the statement. "I don't think anything you say can make me hate you." Umi let out a small sigh before beginning.

"My 'species,' I guess you can call it, have their partners chosen out for them by the forces of nature. These partners are called mates, and they're... m-meant to be." Umi started, recalling what Nozomi told her. Umi began to get anxious. Her heart picked up its pace. She took a gulp. "K-Kotori... y-you're my m-mate." Umi tensed, expecting to be crushed by the wave that was Kotori's response. She was surprised when Kotori embraced her, putting her head over Umi's shoulder.

"That explains a lot... I think I've loved you ever since you stepped foot in my backyard..."

Umi blushed at the confession. She returned the embrace. They stayed like that for a while.

"S-S-So do you a-accept being my m-mate?" Umi sputtered, her face slowly reaching the color of a tomato. Kotori pulled herself away from Umi and smiled.

"If that's your way of asking me out, then yes!"

Kotori's answer, while embarrassing her, excited her.

"W-Well I have some people at my home that would be happy to meet you. Do you want to come over to my place?" Umi managed to ask.

"Hmm, I would love to meet your family!" Kotori chirped. Umi smiled.

"Then let's go."

* * *

Umi and Kotori walked through the backdoor of Umi's house, taking the path through the forest.

"Nozomi, I'm back." Umi shouted. She glanced over at Kotori. "You can just set your shoes here." She told her, noticing her apprehension. Nozomi's light steps could be heard coming down the stairs.

"Hmm, so I'm guessing this is your mate? She's very cute." Nozomi called out, walking closer towards them. This caused Umi to blush. "Tojo Nozomi at your service." Nozomi held out her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Tojo-san! My name is Minami Kotori!" Kotori happily shook Nozomi's hand. Nozomi used her free hand and held it up to the side of her mouth to 'block' her words from Kotori.

"Wow, Umi. She's cute all around. You're lucky." She whispered loudly. Kotori, of course hearing this, let out an awkward giggle. Umi, on the other hand, turned a bright red. "Well, what's mine is yours, so no need to be shy." Nozomi finished as she turned back to Kotori.

"S-So I guess I'll show you around." Umi stuttered, trying her best to ignore Nozomi's comments. She took Kotori's hand and sped past Nozomi, not wanting to be any more embarrassed by what she had to say. She walked down the hall to show the rooms.

"So we've already walked past the dining room, kitchen, and living room. The room on the left is my exercise room and the one on the right is empty. The room next to my exercise room is a bathroom. That's all for downstairs." Umi quickly explained.

"Oh, what's in your exercise room?" Kotori was curious to see what Umi used to get her body in such great shape. Umi walked over to the door and opened it for her.

"You can go in and look, if you want."

Kotori accepted and walked into the room. She was surprised by the amount of equipment she had.

"Wow! How'd you afford all of these?"

"Nozomi's father. He loans us money, pays our bills, and gets us anything we might need." Umi explained. "We are never short on cash, which is why I offered to pay the majority of the bills the first time we went out together."

"That's amazing, Umi-chan." Umi stepped out of the way when Kotori came out of the room. She closed the door behind her.

"Shall we continue?" Umi asked. Kotori took Umi's hand and nodded. Umi managed to remain calm with the contact. She was slowly getting more comfortable with Kotori; more used to her touch. She took Kotori up the stairs to show her the second story of her house.

"The majority of the rooms up here are empty. The one farthest to the right is my room, with Nozomi's next to it. The bathroom is the room in front of mine." Umi walked over to her room with Kotori. "It's not as welcoming as your room, but it works." Umi opened the door and brought Kotori in. Her room was simple; white walls with only the necessities for a proper bedroom. "I spend most of my time outside, so I don't feel as if I need anything fancy in here..."

"Don't worry about it! We can decorate it together sometime!" Kotori bubbled. Umi couldn't help but think how lucky she was to have Kotori as her mate.

"That would be nice." Umi responded warmly.

"Hey, Umi-chan. Do you think you think you can spend the night at my house? I want more time to talk to you." Umi was confused by the sudden question, but then realized the sun was slowly setting outside her window.

"Sure, Kotori. Let's head back now before it gets too dark."

They walked back downstairs to leave the house. Nozomi was nowhere in sight, most likely have gone to her room while they were in Umi's room.

"Aren't you going to tell Tojo-san where you're going?" Kotori asked curiously.

"She won't mind. I'm out late at night quite often. Plus, she could probably guess where I went..." She and Kotori put their shoes on and started to walk back towards Kotori's house.

* * *

"Mom, I'm back!" Kotori shouted to her mother, who emerged from the kitchen.

"Welcome back, Kotori, Umi-san." She addressed Umi formally because she still didn't know her very well. "Will you be staying the night?"

"Yes, if that's okay with you, of course." Umi replied.

"Of course! It's not often that Kotori brings friends to stay over night!"

"So, Umi-chan, let's go to my room!"

Kotori dashed up the stairs. Umi chased after her. As Umi reached the top of the stairs, Kotori disappeared into her room. Umi slowed down her pace and began to walk down the hall into Kotori's room. She looked into Kotori's room, not seeing her in the first look. Umi walked into the room to try to find her. She sniffed the air to no prevail. It was Kotori's room after all, so everything smelled like her.

"Boo!"

Umi tensed as hands grabbed her shoulders. She turned around to face Kotori, who was previously hidden behind the now closed door.

"Did I scare you?" Kotori asked with more enthusiasm than a normal person would.

"I would say you surprised me more than you scared me."

Kotori pouted a bit. "Well, I'll get you someday!" She walked over and sat down on her bed. "Umi-chan? Is it okay if I ask about your family?"

Umi moved over and sat by Kotori's side. While the subject was a bit touchy, Umi wanted to let Kotori know.

"Yea, I'll explain it to you." Umi started. "My parents are human and I'm not... They left me because of that reason. After living on the streets for some time, Nozomi found me and took me in. She's like an older sister to me." Umi dropped her eyes towards the ground becoming a bit silent.

"Oh... I'm sorry for asking." Kotori apologized softly. She took hold of Umi's hand to comfort her.

"It's okay, Kotori. I want you to know more about me and my past. I'll answer any questions you have about me, no matter what emotions may be associated with it."

"Maybe I'll save the questions for later. I don't want to make you feel sad tonight."

"It's fine, you can continue. There's not much else that would make me sad."

Kotori thought for a moment. "Hmm, how about for every question I ask, you can ask a question about me? It'll make this a little more fair and fun."

"That sounds great."

"Then it's your turn!"

"Oh...umm... What are your hobbies?"

"I'm glad you asked! I enjoy sewing and making clothes! Most of the clothes I wear are homemade." Umi took note that she seemed excited about the topic of fashion.

"That's amazing, Kotori! Did you make the clothes you wore on the first day we went out together?"

Kotori giggled. "Yep! I also made the nightgown you wore when I first found you."

"Wow... You're really skilled."

Kotori smiled at the compliment. "Thank you, Umi-chan!" She tilted her head and examined Umi. "Maybe I should make you some clothes. It'll bring out your cuteness."

Umi pictured herself in a frilly dress, almost like the skirt Kotori wore before. "Ah, that's not necessary." She shook off the idea, embarrassed by the thought.

"Nope, it's settled! I'm going to make you clothes. Now, onto my next question!" Kotori began to change the subject, not giving Umi a choice in the matter. "Are there other non-human species that exist here with us?"

Umi was still stuck on the previous question but she had a feeling she couldn't win against Kotori. "Yes, there are. So far I've met a vampire and a kitsune. Knowing that, there's probably hundreds of other species." Umi said, deciding to continue on with the questions.

"Is Nozomi like you as well? A shapeshifter?"

"Yep. She's just like me, just a bit more skilled with her transformations." Now it was Umi's turn to ask a question. "What's your school like?"

"I go to Otonokizaka High School, an all-girls school. The students call it Otonoki, though. There's a track, auditorium, gym, archery dojo, and stables. They keep the most adorable, fluffy alpacas in there!" Kotori sighed happily as she thought about the alpacas. "And what about you, Umi-chan? What's yours like?"

"Oh, I don't go to school and haven't for a while. Nozomi teaches me what I need, and when she doesn't, I look into it myself." Umi responded. "I just don't feel like I would fit in a public school."

Kotori furrowed her brows at Umi's response. "Of course you would fit in. You're really pretty and you're responsible. Everyone would love you, you just need to try!"

Umi looked into Kotori's eyes. They were full of determination.

"Maybe. Maybe I'll start school again."

A knock on the door interrupted their chat session. Kotori walked over to the door and opened it.

"Dinner's ready, girls. Just come downstairs when you're ready." Now that the door was wide open, the smell of the curry she cooked blasted inside the room. It smelt delicious.

"We'll be down in a minute, mom." Kotori replied back. Her mom nodded and headed back downstairs.

"My mom is actually the principal of my school, so maybe she could enroll you when you're ready." Kotori told Umi. Umi stood up and walked by Kotori's side.

"Thank you, Kotori."

Kotori smiled. "Okay, let's go eat now!" Kotori and Umi walked out of the room and downstairs. They turned the corner into the dining room to see their food already played and on the table. Kotori's mom was already sitting.

"I hope you don't mind that we're having curry tonight, Umi-san."

"Not at all. It looks delicious, Minami-san." Kotori took her seat, leaving Umi the final, empty chair. They all had a side of their own to the table. Umi sat across from Kotori, with Kotori's mom sitting to her right. Umi picked up her chopsticks and ate her food.

"So, Umi-san, where do you live?" Kotori's mom asked, making simple conversation.

"Walking through the forest, it's just about a straight shot forward until you reach my backyard."

"Ah, that's nice."

The dinner was comfortable and not awkward, like most would've turned out. Kotori's mother wasn't too prying of Umi and was very kind to her. Umi helped Kotori clean the dishes and headed back upstairs to her room.

"I have school tomorrow, so we'll have to wake up early. Sorry, Umi-chan."

"I have some business to handle tomorrow anyway. It'll be fine."

Kotori walked over to her drawers and pulled out some pajamas.

"You can change into this for the night. It's more comfortable than those shorts you're wearing. I'm going to take a quick shower, so you can change in here." Kotori handed Umi the pajamas and grabbed some pajamas for herself. She walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Once she felt like she was safe to change without any disruptions, she quickly took off her clothes and put on Kotori's pajamas. Umi fumbled with the buttons of the shirt, not being able to effectively button them with her current speed. Once she was done, she examined herself in Kotori's standing mirror. Pink wasn't her color, but the outfit didn't look bad on her. After neatly folding up her clothes, she made her way over to Kotori's bed and sat down. At this point, she could hear the shower water running. The room was quiet and a bit boring without her girlfriend to talk to. Umi looked around the room once again, taking in all the details. After a couple minutes of sitting and doing nothing, Umi stood up and began to explore the room. She noticed Kotori didn't have shy pictures of her with friends or anything, something Umi thought she would have plenty of. She did, however, have a fair amount of alpaca plushies on her desk and bed. There were also a few large stuffed animals that looked like they could be used as pillows. A large painting was posted on the wall above her dresser, along with two pink wall decorations above and to the left of her bed. Umi noticed that the water had stopped and was replaced with the sound of a hair dryer. She sat back down on the bed and turned around to face the window. She opened the curtains to look outside. It was now dark out, the sunlight replaced with moonlight. The view was similar to the one she has from her room. The tranquility of the forest passed onto Umi, making her feel at peace as she gazed upon it. She was so focused on the forest, she barely heard Kotori walk into the room.

"Hi, Umi-chan."

Umi turned her head to look at Kotori. She felt a small smile tug at her lips. "Hey, Kotori."

"S-So, instead of setting up futon for you, do you just want to share my bed with me? Just to be fair." Kotori asked nervously. Umi's eyes widened at first, but with the expression Kotori had on her face, she didn't want to deny.

"O-Okay. I'll sleep on the left side." Umi answered back. Kotori nodded and turned off the room lights. She made her way to her bed in the darkness. She laid down besides Umi and tucked herself in. Umi placed herself under the blanket as well. The two of them had enough personal space for themselves since Kotori had a queen sized bed. They were facing opposite directions to avoid any awkwardness. Just being in the same bed as Kotori brought Umi's heart race up. She could feel it thumping against the walls of her chest. A couple minutes passed and Umi was still awake, unable to sleep because of where she was currently at. The bed's sheets and blankets shuffling broke the previous silence.

"Umi-chan?" Kotori whispered softly. Umi turned around the face her, only to meet her eyes only inches away.

"K-Kotori?!" Umi gasped.

"C-Can we... cuddle?" The last word was almost inaudible, and would've been if it wasn't for Umi's superb hearing. Kotori's face was a bright red, although it wasn't noticeable in the dark. There was no way Umi was able to deny, especially with how shy Kotori was about it. Without saying anything, Umi moved forward and wrapped one of her arms around Kotori in a loose embrace. Kotori responded by scooting closer to Umi's body. She rested her head underneath Umi's chin.

"Goodnight, Umi-chan."

Umi really hoped Kotori couldn't feel her heart beating out of her chest, and that she wasn't producing too much body heat.

"G-Goodnight, Kotori."

Umi shut her eyes, trying her best to sleep. Before she knew it, she was out like a rock, with Kotori fast asleep in her arms.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ **Well, so much for that whole week thing, but at least I got it out lol.**


End file.
